OPN-built Polk County Justice Center honored by AIA

The Polk County Justice Center Annex has been honored by the Justice Facilities Review with a Citation Award.

Thirteen projects demonstrate the latest trends in the design and construction of justice facilities in the United States. Seven of the recipients were awarded a Citation; the other six were selected for publication in Justice Facilities Review 2019. These projects demonstrate quality of form, functionality, and current architectural responses to complex justice design issues.

The juvenile justice center is the first of three projects that will address Polk County, Iowa’s  overcrowded court system, improve safety, and reduce the county’s reliance on leased property. Juvenile court is just one of several user groups housed within the 174,000-square-foot abandoned office building, originally built in 1971 as a JC Penney. Strategically placing high activity spaces on first floor with the quieter functions on adjacent floors allowed a multi-user facility to operate cohesively.

“Brings a customer service model to the courtroom-metaphor works on many levels.”

— Jury Comment

M3 Named IIABA Best Practices Agency for 21st Consecutive Year

M3 Insurance has been named a Best Practices Agency by Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA) in 2019 for the 21^stconsecutive year. M3 was selected out of over 1,300 nominated agencies to receive the coveted designation in 2019.

To be named a Best Practices Agency, an organization must be nominated either by an IIABA affiliated state association or an insurance company. Qualification is based on exceptional customer retention, growth, stability, and financial management. Nominated agencies must be among the top-performing agencies in one of six revenue categories to be chosen for this designation.

The Best Practices Agency designation identifies M3 as an industry leader. IIABA partners with Reagan Consulting, Inc., Atlanta, each year to document the business practices of “best” agencies and encourages others to adopt similar practices.

M3 is proud to have retained this title for over two decades. We strive to lead the way in the insurance industry with innovative strategies and solutions. This designation validates that aim and motivates us to continue to provide world class resources and individual attention to our clients.

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About IIABA

Founded in 1896, IIABA is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing a network of more than 300,000 agents, brokers and their employees nationally. Its members are businesses that offer customers a choice of policies from a variety of insurance companies. Independent agents and brokers offer all lines of insurance – property, casualty, life and health – as well as employee benefit plans and retirement products.

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About M3

M3 Insurance offers insight, advice and strategies to help clients manage risk, purchase insurance and provide employee benefits. We are committed to being experts in both the products we represent and the industries we serve. Our people advance M3’s competitive advantage in the marketplace, and our focus on community builds better places to live and work. M3 is ranked a top 50 broker in America.

Bachmann Construction Completes Restoration of Historic Garver Feed Mill; Currently Building Spaces for Additional Businesses at Garver Opening in September

Media Contact: Joan Collins Publicity, Inc. (608) 222-2899

Bachmann Construction, the Madison-based general contractor for the $15.5 million restoration of the historic Garver Feed Mill, behind Olbrich Gardens, has completed the core renovation encompassing 60,000 square feet of space at the Registered National Historic Landmark building.  

Chicago developer Baum Revision, LLC, retained Bachmann Construction to turn the former beet factory and later a feed mill, into a hub for food producers and retailers plus wellness-focused businesses.

Bachmann is currently building individual spaces for Perennial Yoga and Surya Café, opening in mid-September, followed by Kosa Spa in late September, according to Naomi Kroth, Bachmann project manager.

Chris Quandt, Bachmann project manager who led the 18-month complex Garver renovation process said the strict restrictions on restoring a historic building on the National Historic Registry required approvals for windows, railings, brick and more from city, state and national preservation groups. Another challenge involved demolishing old walls with no roof overhead to provide stability.  Because the 119-year old building was crumbling, Bachmann also had to take extra safety precautions for workmen.

Al Bachmann, president of Bachmann Construction, said the completion of the renovation, including a 13,500 square foot atrium event center, is a fitting way to celebrate Bachmann’s 65 years as a family-owned Madison-based business.  Restoration is one of the specialties at the design-build firm, including renovation projects at the Capitol, Olin House, University Club, several area churches and restaurants. 

 www.bachmannconstruction.net

Campus Farmers Market will bring local products to UW-Madison campus

Aug. 23, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Information:

Shauna Breneman, Communications Director

Office: (608) 262-8862

Email: sbreneman@wisc.edu

CAMPUS FARMERS MARKET WILL BRING LOCAL PRODUCTS TO UW-MADISON CAMPUS

Wisconsin Union’s weekly farmers market to bring local vendors to Union South

MADISON – The Wisconsin Union team will host the Campus Farmers Market Thursdays, which will feature local and organic products, Sept. 5 until Oct. 24 at Union South from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Area vendors will sell their products during the market outside Union South at the corner of North Orchard Street and West Johnson Street. Featured vendors include Bloom Bake Shop, Chrysalis Pops, Munchkey Apples, Parrfection Produce, Porchlight Products and Savory Accents.

“It’s an honor and pleasure to support local businesses and increase food accessibility in the downtown Madison area,” said Wisconsin Union Associate Director of Dining and Hospitality Carl Korz.

The market will also feature Farm to Table bags that include fresh produce and a recipe tailored to the bag’s produce. Market customers will have the chance to sample the featured recipe at each week’s market.

Plus, at the first market, the Union team will give away Campus Farmers Market canvas bags while supplies last. In addition, on Sept. 5 and 12, team members will provide loyalty cards with which customers can receive $8 off their Farm to Table Bag purchases. If customers with loyalty cards purchase a Farm to Table Bag at every market this fall, they will receive their final bag free.

The Campus Farmers Market will include live music by singer-songwriter Frankie Pobar Lay. Available various dates throughout the summer will be button-making with Wheelhouse Studios, dogs from Dogs On Call, and new menu item samples from Union South restaurants.

For more information about the Union’s Campus Farmers Market and new recipes weekly, visit union.wisc.edu/cfm.

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About the Wisconsin Union

The Wisconsin Union enhances the lives of members and visitors through recreational, cultural, educational and social opportunities. Formed in 1907, the Wisconsin Union is a membership organization that blends study and leisure to create unique out-of-classroom opportunities. Learn more about the Union and its tradition of providing experiences for a lifetime: union.wisc.edu.

[Note to the editor: Click here to download a high-resolution photo of a 2018 Campus Farmers Market. Pictured: A Porchlight Products team member provides product samples to Campus Farmers Market customers at Union South. Photo provided by the Wisconsin Union. Photo by Owen Desai.]

Read this release online here: union.wisc.edu/about/news/campus-farmers-market-2019.

Mead & Hunt acquires “boutique” transportation consulting firm Sabra & Associates, Inc.

Mead & Hunt, a large, well-known national architecture-engineering firm, has acquired Sabra & Associates, Inc. (SAI), a multi-disciplinary consulting firm with a strong emphasis on the transportation sector.

SAI has a heavy presence in the mid-Atlantic states with five offices spanning the area, including offices in Columbia, MD, Washington, DC, Vienna, VA, and two in Baltimore, MD. They have 120 team members.

This move gives both firms the opportunity to provide clients expanded consulting resources and service areas. SAI brings sophisticated multi-modal transportation planning, travel demand modeling, GIS, traffic engineering, and highway design and construction inspection to Mead & Hunt’s Transportation team, which excels at roadway and bridge design and construction inspection.

In addition, SAI brings strength in urban transit, freight logistics, signals and intelligent transportation systems planning and design, which is vital to many of our clients across the country. The two firms offer complementary services, making this combination beneficial for SAI and Mead & Hunt clients alike.

“The convergence of SAI and Mead & Hunt’s areas of expertise supports clients and communities by creating greater access to vital transportation services nationwide,” said Rick Plymale, Vice President for Mead & Hunt’s Transportation. “I’m confident that together we can do more for our clients than either of us could alone.”

The two firms are an ideal cultural fit, with both fostering people-first values. According to Andy Platz, Mead & Hunt’s CEO, “Keeping all of our clients, employees and communities at the forefront of our decisions is key to our overall success.”

Similarly, Ziad Sabra, former owner of SAI and now Mid-Atlantic Business Unit Leader at Mead & Hunt stated, “We remain committed to retaining the close client relationships we’ve fostered over the past several years, and we look forward to maintaining these relationships well into the future. Above all, this allows us to offer expanded resources to our clients and offers our employees additional opportunities to grow.”

Mead & Hunt is an employee-owned consulting firm and remains strong on ENR’s Top 500 design firm list with a national ranking of 119 in 2019. The firm employs nearly 900 employees from 35+ offices located across the nation. They were named by Zweig Group as one of the Best Firms to Work For, and by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation.

Media Contacts:

• Andy Platz, CEO/President, andy.platz@meadhunt.com, 608-443-0600
• Rick Plymale, Vice President/Transportation, Richard.plymale@meadhunt.com, 681-313-4615
• Meghan Stiklestad, Marketing Director, Meghan.stiklestad@meadhunt.com, 608-443-0378